Wire-stretcher.



F. KRANZ.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-.14. me.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNE FRANK KRANZ, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

. WIRE -STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 10, 191 8,

Application filed August M, 1918. Serial No. 249,903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK :KRANZ, acitizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Stretchers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The present invention is directed to improvements in wire stretchers, having for its object to provide a stretcher which may be readily manipulated; one which may be quickly applied to the wire to be stretched; one possessing a large amount of leverage; one which is simple in construction and at the same time effective; and one possessing further and other advantages better apparent from the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the tool in actual operation; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the tool with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is an edge view of the tool looking upward at Fig.2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged combined edge view and cross-section On the zig-zag line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional detail 'on the ziz-zag line 55 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a detailed plan view of the gripper.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a rotatable disk provide'd fwith a peripheral groove a for the reception of a winding chain (or cable) 2, the inner end of the chain being secured to a pin or anchor'3' spanning the walls of'the groove. To the outer end of the chain is secured an open wire loop or cable 4, the ends of which are secured to the free ends of the lever jaws 5 hinged to one another at their opposite ends, the adjacent side faces of the jaws being equipped with dogs or offsets 5 provided with opposite grooves h for receiving between them the wire to to be stretched.

Disposed on opposite sides of the disk 1 are annular ratchets 6, 6, the teeth of one ratchet being preferably out of transverse alinement with the teeth of its opposite Pivoted to the inner sidesof the fork membersi8, 8, are the advancing pawls 10,- 10, which when released, automatically engage the teeth of the ratchets 6, 6, under the action of" a coiled expanding spring 11. interposed between a bracket 12 secured to the lever 9 atthe bases of the forks. 8, and the head 13 at the inner end of a reciprocating stem 14 mounted loosely in said bracket, the headl3 having hinged theretoa yoke 15 the terminals of whose arms are pivotally coupled to their respective pawls 10, 10, on opposite sides of the disk, it being understood that the spring 11 is coiled about the stem 14. Secured to the lever 9 at the base of the handle H thereof is a strap or bracket 16 to which is pivoted the bell-crank tripping lever l7, the long arm thereof being opposite the handle, and the short arm being pivotally coupled to the adjacent end of.

a. link 18 whose opposite end is pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the reciprocating stem 14. From the connections described (and this form .of connection is well known in the art), it is apparent that by tripping the long armof the bell-crank lever 17 toward the handle H, the stem I 1 willbe pulled outwardly,the spring 11 will be compressed and the pawls 10, 10, be disengaged from the ratchets 6, 6, a release of the tripping lever causing the parts to automatically resume their original positions and the pawls to rengage' the ratchets, under the action of the spring.

Pivotally mounted on the ends of the cen- "ter pin 7 outside of the fork arms 8, 8, are

the fork members 8, 8, of a supporting lever 9, the same being provided with a handle H, looking or brake pawls 10, 10, spring 11, a reciprocating stem 14, a bracket 16, a bell-crank lever 17, a link 18, a bracket 12, a yoke 15 hinged to the head 13', in all essential particulars the same as the lever 9 and parts connected thereto. The free end of the handle H terminatesin a loop 19 to which is loosely coupled a hook 20 as shown. Preferably, the jaws 5 are normally held slightly open by a weak flexed spring 8 as shown, so as to facilitate the insertion of the wire w into the grooves it of the dogs 5 preparatory to gripping and stretching the same. Preferably, the dogs 5 are swiveled to the pins on so that they and the wire may better aline themselves to the direction of the stress or pull thus preventing kinking of the wire when the latter is held gripped by the dogs.

In practice the hook 20 is coupled to a piece of rope 21 passed over the post P of the fence the wire of which is to be stretched, the hook thus serving to anchor the tool to the post .(or other fixed support). This leaves both hands of theoperator free to trip the levers 17, 17, in proper direction to release the pawls 10, 10 from their respective ratchets thus permitting the helper to seize theifree end of the chain 2 and unwind the same (the disk 1 being left free to rotate about the pin 7 in the direction for unwinding owing to its release from the pawls), the w1re-gripping jaws at the free end of the chain 2 being free to receive the wire w to be stretched, which is then passed into the grooves of the gripping blocks or dogs 5. A very slight pull on the chain and hence on the loop 4 and gripping jaws 5 will overcome the tension of the springs, causing the jaws to close and the dogs to grip the wire. The

operator releases the tripping lever 17 thus permitting the locking pawls :10 to remain in permanent engagement with the ratchets 6, 6; and while holding on the handle H- with one hand, he works the opposite handle H (and hence the lever 9) back and forth with the other hand, thereby causing the pawls 10 to rotate the disk 1 with each inward stroke of the lever and wind up the chain 2. This of course exerts a ull on the wire gripped between the dogs of the jaws 5, thereby stretching the wire. It is apparent that the tool need not be restricted in its application to the stretching of wire. It might be used for lifting weights; or applied in many ways readily suggesting themselves to the skilled mechanic. The details of the tool may be controlled stem on the lever, a yoke leading from the stem and spanning the disk, advancing pawls pivoted at one end to the fork arms of the lever and coupled at intermediate points to the yoke arms, a tripping lever and intermediate connections on the operating lever for actuating the reciprocating stem and pawls coupled thereto, a forked supporting lever pivoted to the central pin and provided with spring-controlled looking pawls and actuating mechanism' therefor similar to those on the operating lever, the advancing and locking pawls be ing disposed in the same plane and on corresponding sides of their respective supporting levers, means for anchoring the supporting lever to a fixed support, a peripheral groove or channel on the disk, a winding cable in the groove, and means on the free end of the cable for gripping the wire to be stretched, the parts operating,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK KRANZ.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, J 0s. A. MICHEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. 0. 

